Lagos State Government has appealed for calm following panic in the Ojokoro area of the state over reports of an alleged bandit attack at a school complex, which prompted anxious parents to rush to the premises to check on their children.
Reacting to the incident, the Lagos State Education District
I, which supervises 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across the
Agege, Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye areas, clarified that no case of banditry or
kidnapping occurred, describing the situation as a misunderstanding caused by a
poorly communicated educational exercise.
According to the district, the incident originated from a
weekly co-curricular programme at Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, one of the
four schools located within the Ojokoro school complex.
The authorities explained that the exercise was designed to
educate students on contemporary security issues and often incorporates
practical demonstrations to enhance learning and engagement.
However, during Wednesday’s session, a member of the
teaching staff reportedly adopted an overly dramatic approach while
illustrating the dangers of kidnapping and banditry, inadvertently triggering
panic among students and members of the surrounding community.
Officials said the demonstration involved the use of a
vehicle and simulated security-style operations, including costumes and
behaviour intended to resemble those of criminal elements.
The realistic nature of the exercise reportedly caused
confusion, with many students believing the school was under attack and fleeing
the premises in fear.
The resulting alarm quickly spread beyond the school
environment, leading concerned parents to make frantic inquiries about their
children, while residents of nearby communities, including the Lagos State
Development and Property Corporation, LSDPC, Estate in Ojokoro, reacted to
reports circulating on social media.
In a statement, the Residents Association of the LSDPC
Estate acknowledged that the exercise may have been conceived as an educational
role-play but criticised its execution, describing it as inappropriate given
prevailing security concerns across the country.
The association noted that the teacher involved failed to
notify school authorities, staff members and students about the planned
dramatization, which included realistic special effects.
“Furthermore, the teacher failed to inform the school
authority, other staff, and the rest of the student body about his proposed
drama, which included the use of realistic special effects. This lack of
communication resulted in severe panic within the school,” the association
stated.
“In the ensuing rush to escape what they believed to be a
real threat, a large number of students fled into our estate, causing the
rowdiness and alarm that many witnessed.
“We want to assure all residents that there was no actual
security breach, kidnapping or bandit attack within or around our estate. The
police were immediately contacted and are fully involved. The teacher
responsible for the false alarm has been taken to the police station for
questioning, and the situation has been completely brought under control.”
Authorities maintained that the incident was the result of
miscommunication rather than any security threat and reassured parents and
residents that students and staff remained safe.
Meanwhile, a visit to the police station where the teacher
was reportedly taken showed the staff member present at the facility. However,
inquiries into the matter were declined by the Divisional Police Officer, who
referred journalists to the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command for
further information.
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